Christmas Discoveries

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas this year! Ours was really nice albeit short. My Italian came home for the holidays (though he couldn't stay near as long as I'd have liked). But he did bring me lots of Italian deliciousness to enjoy while he was here. So instead of thinking about how much I miss him, I thought I would share with you some holiday joy and yumminess of the Italian kind.

Nowadays, most everyone has heard of the traditional Italian holiday cakes Pannetone and Pandoro. Pannetone is probably the most well known and comes from Milan. Pandoro is my favorite and comes from Verona, which is a beautiful town from my husband's region. That's not why it's my favorite though - I don't like raisins (pannetone has those) and I like to slather nutella on the pandoro. hehe If you haven't tried them they are very buttery cakes with kind of a coffee cake texture.

However, did you know that each cake has several variations to it? with lemoncello, with chocolate, with chestnuts, with english cream, etc. I am just learning that after all these years. So of course S. brought home several of these cakes, one of which I am now enamored of and am picturing here. ::sigh::
I give you "Il Budino".

Yes, that is a chocolate shell. And yes, those are liquidy tunnels of chocolate! It got a little banged up on the trip over but who cares? It is SO GOOD. Check out the site, to see all the varieties Bauli offers, it's in Italian but who needs English when looking at cake?!?

My next discovery is what I would call cookies but Italians call them pastries. They are my new favorite cookies and S. being the sweet man he is, let me eat them all. hehe They are called Ricciarelli. They are originally from Siena and made out of almonds. A delicately sweet and moist cookie that tastes like marzipan in cookie form. Oh. My. Gosh. they are good! And in researching a link to post here I found out they have different kinds! Click here to see the varieties. You know what this means don't you? I MUST TRY THEM ALL.

I'm not kidding, if you see these in the store or happen to be in Italy, grab them. You won't be disappointed. You need to eat them pretty quick though because they dry out and are not as scrumptious. I haven't seen any in "these here parts" but I will be placing an order with my Italian soon. I will also be stocking up on my next trip to Italy (coming this spring).

Well that's it for now. Since it is almost New Year's - BUON ANNO!

Have a safe and Happy New Year!

more later...

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

I wish you and yours a very happy and safe holiday season.

100th post...Christmas Edition

WOW! I can't believe I am on my 100th post :) It's a milestone for this beginning blogger. In honor of this special event, I thought I would share more personal info of the Christmas version.

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? wrapping paper, of course. Please see below. There's just something about tape, bows and scissors that just brings out the kid in me. But I also really love CUTE CUTE bags, and specialty wrap items. hehe

2. Real tree or artificial? hmm I really like real trees with the nice smell but feel guilty about cutting one down just for Christmas. Also, its a pain to get rid of after the holiday.

3. When do you put up the tree? in the past? Growing up we always put it up during the long Thanksgiving weekend. Stef and I have mostly carried on that tradition. However, this year, we put it up on 12/15. I wanted to wait for him to get here so we could do it together.

4. When do you take the tree down? After New Year's for good luck. Oh man, I just remembered this year I will have to do it all by myself. curses!

5. Do you like eggnog? Yes - but I don't drink it much. My dad is the only one in my family who likes it (especially with the 'nog' in it) and Stef's never had it so... I was on a big search last season for a good recipe but then got lazy and didn't make it.

6. Favorite gift received as a child? when I was little I LOVED playing with dolls and Barbies. One year, maybe I was 7 or so?, I got FIVE Barbies or Christmas!! PLUS the Barbie dog. hehe I was in heaven. hehe

7. Do you have a Nativity scene? I do. For the past few years, my sisters and I have all gotten a piece of a special Nativity set. Last year, we got the final piece - so this year we are complete!

8. Hardest person to buy for? gosh so many. My mom - definitely. She has everything she needs and gives you ideas like "a new ironing board cover". ugh. My sisters are hard too and don't even get me started on the in-laws.

9. Easiest person to buy for? My nieces/nephews, especially the younger ones. We have trained them young to make wish lists so its a matter picking the one you want to give. It takes a little coordination from the adults but all in all a good system. (One I am happy to say I started as a kid, when I would go through the big book of toys and mark everything I wanted.lol)

10. Worst Christmas Gift you ever received? can this be something from a White Elephant gift party? If so, then the fake dirty diaper I got at a high school club party.lol Other than that, nothing comes to mind. I'm not braggin' or anything but I'm pretty easy to please. hehe

11. Mail or email Christmas cards? Mail. I LOVE expensive Christmas cards, hand addressed and stamped with the cutest USPS stamp I can find. (this year, they suck!) I try to send them out every year but every now and then I get lazy (or broke).

12. Favorite Christmas Movie? White Christmas and National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation. I also like A Christmas Story. hehe

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? By nature I am a procrastinator. combine that with the fact I like to really put thought into the presents I give, usually its mid-December before I get it together. This year I am trying to change that bad behavior (procrastinating) so I started buying last month =) Most of it online - I don't like to shop really. If I can't find it online - I go in knowing what I want, get in, and get out. No panic for me this year!

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? oh yeah

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? FUDGE. TRASH. and so many kinds of cookies, I can't even name them all.

16. Clear lights or colored on the tree? colored. though honestly, if I really think about it - I like both equally. It depends on the year and my mood. I think clear is very sophisticated and you can see the ornaments a bit better, but colored remind me of my childhood and they are so fun and cheery. Our pre-lit tree has colored but I always add some clear too.

17. Favorite Christmas song? most all Christmas carols. I LOVE to sing carols, I've been singing them at the top of my lungs all week in my car with my favorite Christmas "tape", yes I said tape. Though I also have a perverse affinity for Mariah Carey's "All I want for Christmas".

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? I like to stay home. :)

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer? yes, but I have to sing them.

20. Angel on the tree top or a star? star, though I like angel ones too.

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? morning for sure. As a kid, we got to open 1 on Christmas Eve but everything else on Christmas morning. Christmas morning is my favorite!

22. Most annoying thing about this time of year? oh.my.gosh. the CROWDS!! TRAFFIC!! rudeness - where's the Spirit people?

23. What is the "corniest" family tradition you do, or miss doing? decorating the tree while playing our Christmas records. (yes records). Robert Goulet. Burl Ives. Andy Williams. they are oldies but goodies. Now my niece & nephew are enjoying them - the tradition continues. It makes me happy (and if you don't know who those singers are you are too young!)

24. Ugliest Christmas Decoration ever invented? oh gosh where to start. I'm not a huge fan of the big inflatable thingys people put in their yards nowadays. Fun for kids I guess but eh

25. Which looks best, theme trees or homey trees? definitely homey trees. The only theme trees I like are in the mall or in front of public buildings.


So there you go. post 100 baby! 25 Christmas things you need to know about me.

More later...

On Christmas Confessions...

Conversations with S...

S - "so what are you doing today?"

Me - (giggling with glee) " Oooo I am wrapping presents!!"

S - silence.... and then "Stacy... did you buy more wrapping paper?"

Me - "huh? No.... why do you ask? (answering as innocently as I can)"

S - "Stacy.... how may rolls did you buy?"

Me - "only a couple... but I really didn't have ANY. (just a slight understatement)"

S - "hmphf...." (I can practically hear him rolling his eyes)

Me - "but it's so pretty! really I didn't spend that much. did I mention how fun and pretty it is?"

S - "yeah yeah..."

LOL

What can I say... it is an addiction I am not proud of but none-the-less is there.

This applies to all types of wrapping paper and the accoutrement that goes along with it. Because birthdays are sporadic, I can temper the compulsion most of the year. But Christmas... *sigh* Christmas - I must give in to temptation.

COME ON! It's so pretty and colorful; shiny and sparkley - how can you resist? Every year I can hardly wait for the Container Store to send out their "Gift Wrap Wonderland" catalogue. I'm not kidding when I say I could spend A LOT of money on this crap. But hey, my presents are always some of the prettiest under the tree. New gift wrap is part of my Christmas tradition and every year S. & I have the same conversation. lol

And in recent years - cd and gift card cuteness have been added to the melee. See - I bet you couldn't resist them either.

Ah I love Christmas. The colors, lights, decorations, carols. And while I know Americans have totally commercialized this holiday, I think you can still keep the true meaning alive and enjoy the hoopla. My house is still a bit bare but S. will be home on Friday so I am biding my time.

I have almost all of my presents purchased and once the tree is up - my gift wrapped boxes will SHINE! WOOHOOO

More later...

Cruel Intentions

He just had to do it. Knowing my love of all things chocolate and pastry-like, my Italian just "happened" to send me this freaking picture... and in the body of the email - "I had two :)"

Son-of-a-@#&@#

Why oh why doesn't Dallas have delicious pastry goodies like this??

His parents just brought this tray home the other day for snacks. I am so jealous. One of each please. How soon can I move?

lol

More later...